Sign system for conveying meaning between members of a community

ABSTRACT

A sign system includes an accessory holder having a base element and being adapted to be worn by a user and a plurality of interchangeable accessories, each accessory being releasably attachable to the base element so that a visible surface of the accessory is visually juxtaposed with a visible surface of the base element, one part at least partially surrounding the other in the manner of a frame, where the frame and accessory together form a composite signifier in which the signified is decoded from indicia on the accessory by members of a community who share the sign system and wear the base element, for example as jewellery or attached to a garment.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is related to and claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/251,810 filed on 15 Oct. 2009. Additionally, this application is a continuation of International Patent Application Serial Number PCT/EP2010/065144 filed on 8 Oct. 2010 designating the United States which claims priority to Great Britain Patent Application Serial Number 0917625.6 filed on 8 Oct. 2009. All of said applications are herein incorporated by reference in their entirety.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to visual sign systems for conveying meaning between members of a community.

BACKGROUND

It is known from DE 296 06 437 U1 to provide an article of clothing with a symbol whose meaning may be decoded by reference to a printed code card. For example, the symbolic representation of a wine glass may convey the meaning: “I want to party”. US 2006/0010556 A1 discloses an article of swimwear bearing a signal flag whose literal message may be determined by reference to the International Code of Signals.

It has been observed that the meaning of a sign (the signified) is not intrinsic to the visible element of the sign (the signifier), but rather is formulated contextually in the mind of the observer. For example, the international signal flags “Uniform Mike” conveying the literal message: “The harbour is closed to traffic” in accordance with the International Code of Signals may convey an entirely different meaning to an informed observer when displayed on a swimsuit by a bather.

One characteristic of sign systems such as those just discussed, is that the sign will only be interpreted as a sign if the signifier is recognised by the observer as belonging to a sign system. If the observer does not possess the printed code card or is not familiar with the International Code of Signals, then the symbol or signal flag displayed on the garment may be interpreted as mere decoration, so that the meaning is largely or entirely lost.

In the system of US 2006/0010556 A1, this characteristic may be advantageous insofar as it is desired that the meaning of the sign should only be evident to those persons who are familiar with the International Code of Signals, so that the sign system functions as a restricted code for communication principally between mariners who happen to meet each other on the beach.

However, if the user of the sign system of US 2006/0010556 A1 wishes to change the message from “The harbour is closed to traffic” to, for example, “The fairway is navigable”, he or she is disadvantageously required to change his or her swimwear. Furthermore, by restricting the range of available signifiers to those listed in the International Code of Signals, that system disadvantageously makes it difficult to extend the system by introducing new signs.

In contrast, the sign system of DE 296 06 437 U1 may presumably be extended by introducing new garments bearing new symbols whose meanings are provided on corresponding new code cards. However, when such a new symbol is viewed by an observer who is part of the community of those possessing such code cards but who has not obtained the corresponding new code card, the observer may interpret the unfamiliar symbol as mere decoration and not recognise it as being a new symbol belonging to the sign system. (To the observer, the new symbol might be said to be an unknown unknown, instead of a known unknown.)

US 2009/0106881 A1 discloses a method in which one or more selected graphical displays are detachably coupled to a leg covering, for example, by hook-and-loop material, so as to communicate a meaning, which may be for example an interest of the wearer, an emotion, or a sexual message. Advantageously, the signifier can be exchanged without changing the leg covering. However, since no code card is provided to assist in associating the signifier with the signified, the signifier may disadvantageously be interpreted as mere decoration unless it is widely and immediately recognisable (comprising for example the English words: “Go away”) as a sign.

In the system of US 2006/0010556 A1, the meaning of each signifier (signal flag) is decoded by reference to the International Code of Signals. For the community of mariners to whom the sign is addressed, the meaning of each signifier is thus underpinned and enriched by its relationship to the other signifiers sharing the common system of syntax and meaning provided by that Code. For example, the meaning contextually derived from the message: “There is good holding ground in my area” might be enriched by the understanding that the message is an invitation to the observer to drop his anchor on the bottom.

In contrast, whereas US 2009/0106881 A1 provides a method of communication, it does not provide any shared syntax or system of meaning which may assist in decoding the signified from the signifier. The method of US 2009/0106881 A1 may therefore be less suited for use in accordance with a restricted code whose meaning is evident only to members of a selected community. Moreover, it may be difficult to introduce a new signifier in order to convey a new meaning, without the risk that the new signifier will be interpreted as mere decoration.

A particular problem associated with the releasable attachment of signifiers or mere decorative articles to clothing, is that where the article extends from the clothing it may easily become snagged on furniture, other people's clothing or the like, and so may be damaged or lost. This may occur when a detachable adornment dangles from the clothing, as disclosed for example in US 2005/0044610 or US 2006/0248689. A flat fabric patch attached by hook-and-loop fastening material may be vulnerable to snagging if it begins to curl at the edges. If the article is flat and rigid, such as a detachable badge as disclosed in WO 2007/039324 A1, it may be vulnerable to snagging because it does not lie flat against the garment. Adornments attached by snap fittings such as disclosed by WO 00/53046, or by magnetic means such as disclosed by US 2006/0248629 A1, may become inadvertently detached by contact with other garments.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention provides a visual sign system (which is to say, a system comprising a plurality of visible elements or signifiers, each signifier having an associated meaning) which is more suitable for facilitating communication between members of a community. More particularly, the invention provides one or more wearable or portable articles which allow the use as such a visual sign system and which further easily allow to convey different messages at different times.

Preferably, the message conveyed should be identifiable by other members of the community even if the message itself is not known. Hence, the system should preferably permit the introduction of new signs (i.e. new signifiers and their associated meanings) to accommodate the natural development of communication within the community.

The system proposed should also be easy to use, versatile, securely retained and yet be easily modifiable if needed or desired.

In a first aspect, the present invention thus proposes an accessory holder being adapted to be worn by a user and comprising a base element having a raised display surface being indicative of a particular community the user belongs to, a back surface and at least one continuous edge portion connecting said raised display surface to said back surface. The at least one edge portion comprises attaching means capable of releasably attaching a juxtaposed form fitting accessory and said attaching means comprise one or more indents.

In a second aspect, the invention relates to an accessory which is releasably attachable to said accessory holder which has a display surface being indicative of a particular message, a back surface and at least one edge portion. This edge portion comprises attaching means complementary to those of at least one of the edge portions of the accessory holder and said attaching means comprise one or more resiliently supported detents capable of snap-fittingly engaging to corresponding indents of the accessory holder.

In a third aspect, the invention concerns a kit of parts, i.e. a set two or more parts, comprising an accessory holder and one or more interchangeable accessories. In such a kit, the display surface of the accessory holder is indicative of a particular community, whereas the different accessories preferably have different display surfaces, each display surface of the accessory being indicative of a particular message.

A fourth aspect of the invention relates to the use of an accessory holder and of an accessory as described herein, which accessory is releasably attached to said accessory holder to form a sign system for conveying a message from the user to other users belonging to a same community.

A fifth aspect of the invention is a method for conveying a message to members of a particular community, comprising the use by a member of an accessory holder as described herein, the attachment of an accessory to said accessory holder and the visibly exposing of said holder and accessory to other members.

A sixth aspect of the invention is a method for conveying a modulated meaning of a same message to members of a particular community as described more in detail below.

A main advantage of the invention, beyond the possibility of conveying a particular message to the members of a particular community, is that the snap-fitting and juxtaposed edge connection of the holder and the accessory allows for a compact yet versatile sign system.

As a consequence of the particular configuration of the invention, no parts of the display surfaces of accessory or holder are hidden by the other when the accessory is fitted to the holder. Furthermore, there is no need to provide further means, such as a transparent foil or equivalent, to hold the accessory in place.

Furthermore, the attachment and removal of the accessory does per se not require any tools (although this is conceivable if needed or desirable).

Moreover, due to the juxtaposed configuration of the display surfaces of both holder and accessory, when the accessory is in place, the so obtained sign system looks as if it is made of one piece.

Even more advantageously, if no accessory is used, the visual aspect of the holder is not hampered by visible and projecting attaching means. Indeed, when the accessory holder is used without accessory attached to it, the particular configuration of the attaching means using small indent(s) on the edge side of the accessory holder, confers to the holder a “complete” or “finished” appearance, i.e. a visual aspect of its own without giving the impression of being broken or parts of it being missing.

Furthermore, if the holder is used without accessory, no projecting parts are susceptible of being damaged or of damaging other objects.

As a consequence of the above described features and advantages, for persons not belonging to the community, the accessory holder alone or the sign system will a priori be seen as a fancy decoration or ornament, whereas the members of the community may easily yet discreetly identify each other and exchange varying messages.

As a matter of fact, the user may at any point in time dispatch a message to his community by inserting in, removing from or swapping the releasable accessory inside the holder.

Further details, advantages and embodiments will be described below. It is to be understood that preferred aspects of any of the particular embodiments described herein may be combined with corresponding alternatives if necessary or desirable.

As used herein the expressions “portable article”, “wearable article” and “sign system” generally refer to an accessory holder with the accessory fitted to the holder (if not otherwise indicated), respectively the intended use thereof In certain embodiments these expression also refer to an accessory holder with the accessory fitted to the holder attached to further items, objects or substrates. It is to be noted in this context, that as the accessory holder can be used without accessory, the expressions above also cover the holder without accessory if worn by a user depending on the context. Indeed, as already mentioned, although there seems to be no message as such in this case, the membership of the user is still identifiable by other members of that community and the lack of accessory is to be interpreted as signifying that the user has currently no message to convey.

It is preferred that the thickness of accessory is chosen such that when fitted to the holder its display surface does not lie above the display surface of the holder to avoid accidental removal or damaging of the accessory. Hence, the thickness of accessory will generally be slightly smaller than that of the holder. In further embodiments, the back surfaces of either accessory or accessory holder may also be display surfaces. For example, the back surface of the accessory holder may display the same message or a different one.

Two primary configurations of the sign system are provided by the invention: either the edge of the base element is an inner edge or an outer edge. In other words either the accessory is to be inserted inside a recess of the holder, which than acts as a frame or the accessory acts as a frame for the holder by being attached around the latter.

Hence, in one embodiment, the base element (of the holder) with the raised display surface defines a frame, at least one edge portion being located on the inner side of the frame and the frame being adapted to receive said juxtaposed form fitting accessory inside the frame. In an alternative embodiment, the accessory holder has a base element with the raised display surface which defines a core, at least one edge portion being located on the outer side of the core and the core being adapted to receive said juxtaposed form fitting accessory around said core.

A further configuration results from the combination of both, when the holder has an inner and an outer edge with indents, a first type of accessory could be inserted in the holder and a second type around the accessory holder.

The number of indents on the edge of the base element of the holder depends both on the size and shape of the indent itself, on the size and shape of the accessory and holder and on the intended strength of the snap-fit attachment. In cases where only one indent is provided, this indent preferably extends along an essential part of the edge and preferably takes the form of a groove. In other embodiments, two or preferably more indents are more or less regularly distributed along the edge. Combinations of different types of indents are also possible.

Although the number, size and shape of detents on the edge of the accessory generally correspond to those of the indents on the accessory holder, this number could be different, e.g. if the use of certain accessories should be limited to particular versions of a determined holder within one community or if the strength of attachment to different holders is intended to be different.

Generally the accessory holder will be made from relatively rigid materials, such as metal, plastics, wood, etc. In principle, the holder may also be made of any combination of these materials or with other less rigid materials with the proviso that the material is sufficiently resistant on the edge(s) carrying the indents in order to allow for sufficient cycles of attaching and removal of the accessory. The same is in principle true for the accessory although in this case the critical feature will be the detents on the edge(s).

In this context, when speaking about “detents”, it is meant any appropriate means for releasably engaging with corresponding indents on the holder. In practice, such a releasable engaging can be done with a so-called snap-fit assembly where the detents are resiliently attached on the edge of the accessory. The resilience may originate in the material of the detents or the accessory itself or in particular assemblies, such as spring mounting, levers, tongues, etc.

The geometrical contour of the display surface of both accessory and accessory holder may in principle be chosen at will, as long as the shapes of their edges to be juxtaposed correspond. In the case where the holder forms a frame around the accessory, the inner edge of the frame and the outer edge of the accessory should match or have a close fit. In the case where the holder forms the core of a surrounding accessory, the outer edge of the core and the inner edge of the accessory should match or have a close fit. It is clear to the skilled person that the matching or close fit must be such that the accessory may be releasably attached to the holder.

In a preferred aspect of the invention the edges to be juxtaposed define a shape having a rotational symmetry, preferably a regular polygon (convex or non-convex) or a disk. One advantage of such regular polygons is that the accessory may be fitted in more than one rotational position, which makes it easier to attach it to the holder. Examples of shapes thus may have n sides, where n>2, such are a triangle, square, etc.

The appearance of the display surface of the holder, such as its colour or decoration, its surface structure or touch, may be freely chosen as long as it may identify and be unique to a particular community.

The appearance of the display surface of the accessory may also be freely chosen, it being understood that as the accessory is to convey a message, the appearance of one accessory must be sufficiently different from another accessory (of one type or community) to be safely identifiable as a different message by the members of the community. Hence, different messages may be expressed by different plain colours, by different geometrical representations, by different indicia or images applied to their display surface, etc.

In a still further aspect (already briefly introduced above), the invention proposes that the holder has a predetermined orientation, that juxtaposed edges are in the shape of a regular polygon and that the display surface of the accessory shows an indicium having a different rotational symmetry, preferably no rotational symmetry or even no symmetry at all. It is to be noted that a predetermined orientation is generally obtained when attaching the accessory holder to a portable or wearable item, as will be exemplified below. However, a predetermined orientation may also be obtained by marking one part of the display surface of the accessory holder with a notch, line, arrow, different colour, etc.

As a consequence, by introducing the accessory on or in the holder, it becomes possible to modulate or vary a same message by changing its rotational orientation within the holder. As an example, the holder is a frame with a equilateral triangular shape (which is a regular polygon) with one corner on top and the accessory has a display surface showing a tree. Normally, i.e with the tree in an upright position, this would mean “I like having walks in the woods”. Now, by choosing a different orientation of the accessory within the holder, e.g. with the top of the tree on the left (in the left bottom corner), this will then be interpreted (as per convention) as negation of the message, namely “I don't like walks in the woods”; or (as per convention) as an expression for a momentarily less than normal inclination to take a walk in the woods. It is clear that by choosing a polygon with more sides, such a modulation may in principle be fine-tuned as more variations of the message may be conveyed. In a further aspect, the invention thus relates to a method for modulating a determined message, comprising the steps of releasable attachment of said accessory to the holder in one of a plurality of rotational positions and the visibly exposing of said holder and accessory to other members, wherein the rotational position of the accessory is indicative of a modulation of the visible indicium.

In its various aspects the present invention thus provides respectively a sign system and a portable or wearable article including an accessory holder with a base element for use with a plurality of interchangeable accessories, as defined herein.

The accessory holder with the base element may be attached to any portable or wearable item, i.e. any item which may be worn, born, held or carried by a person, such as garments and clothing, e.g. armwear, coats, dresses, footwear, gowns, headgear, hosiery, jackets, neckwear, poncho, robes and cloaks, shawls and wraps, shirts, skirts, suits, swimsuits, tops, trousers and shorts, underwear; as well as bags, belts, hats, caps, shoes, jewellery, laces, chains, bracelets, bands, straps, watches, mobile phones, handhelds, etc.

The type of attachment to a portable or wearable item largely depends on the nature of the item. For example, if the accessory holder is to be affixed to a flexible substrate, such as a textile or leather substrate, it may be attached using known means, such as glue, hot-melts, clips, magnets, rivets, etc.

In one embodiment, the accessory holder is made of or comprises a magnetic, magnetisable magnetically attractable material. In such an embodiment, the accessory holder may easily be attached to magnetically attractable, magnetisable or magnetic materials making up or comprises within a portable or wearable item.

In a still further aspect of the invention, the accessory holder is made of a magnetic material for convenient attachment to a magnetically attractable, magnetisable or magnetic substrate and (at least) the detents of the accessory are also magnetically attractable, magnetisable or magnetic. The advantage of the latter configuration is that the holder can be conveniently attached to appropriate substrates and the strength of snap-fit attachment can be increased without requiring further modifications of the article. Moreover, this improvement is entirely compatible with corresponding non-magnetic embodiments, as even non-magnetic accessories may be used with a magnetic holder, albeit without the advantageous increase of attachment strength. Vice-versa, even non-magnetic accessory holders may be used with (partially) magnetic accessories, albeit again without the advantageous increase of attachment strength.

In each of its embodiments, a selected one of the accessories is attached to the base element of an accessory holder in use such that respective display surfaces or portions of the base element and the selected accessory are visibly juxtaposed, with one at least partially surrounding the other in the manner of a frame. The invention thus provides a composite signifier, comprising the visible portion of the base element juxtaposed with the visible portion of the selected accessory.

Further general examples and embodiments to the above given aspects will now be described. These examples should however not be construed limitatively.

In further aspects, the invention provides for a sign system comprising a base element and a plurality of interchangeable accessories, the base element being adapted to be worn by a user, each accessory having a visually different outer face, each accessory being releasably attachable to the base element in a use position in which the outer face is visible; wherein the base element includes a frame, and the frame remains visible and at least partially surrounds the outer face of the accessory in the use position. Preferably, the frame entirely surrounds the outer face of the accessory in the use position.

In certain embodiments, the base element includes a recess, and the accessory is received in the recess in the use position. It is preferred that the accessory does not extend outwardly of the frame in the use position.

In some aspects of the invention it is proposed that the base element is adapted for permanent attachment to a flexible substrate. In such cases, the base element is preferably adapted for permanent attachment to a flexible substrate such that a portion of the substrate extends behind the accessory in the use position and is visible when the accessory is removed from the base element.

In a still further aspect, the invention proposes a sign system comprising a base element and a plurality of interchangeable accessories, the base element being adapted to be worn by a user, each accessory having a visually different outer face, each accessory being releasably attachable to the base element in a use position in which the outer face is visible; wherein the outer face of each accessory includes a frame, and the base element includes a display portion, and the frame at least partially surrounds the display portion such that the display portion remains visible in the use position. Preferably, the frame entirely surrounds the display portion in the use position. In such a case, each accessory preferably includes a recess, and the display portion is received in the recess in the use position. In a particularly advantageous embodiment, the base element is adapted for permanent attachment to a flexible substrate.

A still further aspect of the invention relates to a portable article made from flexible material and comprising a rigid base element, the base element being permanently attached to the flexible material, the base element being adapted to releasably retain one of a plurality of interchangeable accessories in a use position in which an outer face of the accessory is visible; wherein the base element includes a frame which remains visible and at least partially surrounds the outer face of the accessory in the use position. The frame preferably entirely surrounds the outer face of the accessory in the use position and/or the base element includes a recess, and the recess is adapted to receive the accessory in the use position.

It is generally advantageous that the accessory does not extend outwardly of the frame in the use position. If the portable article is attached to a flexible material, it is preferred that a portion of the flexible material extends behind the accessory in the use position and is visible when the accessory is removed from the base element. The portable article may be a garment or any other wearable or portable item.

A portable article made from flexible material and comprising a rigid base element, the base element being permanently attached to the flexible material, the base element being adapted to releasably retain one of a plurality of interchangeable accessories in a use position in which an outer face of the accessory is visible; characterised in that the base element includes an insert portion, the insert portion extending outwardly from the flexible material and terminating in a display face; and the insert portion is adapted for insertion into a recess of the accessory such that the display face remains visible and is at least partially surrounded by the outer face of the accessory in the use position. Again the portable article may be a garment or any other wearable or portable item.

In practice, the visible portion or display surface of the accessory holder (which may be secured to a garment or other portable or wearable item or, for example, worn as jewellery) is made visually distinctive by virtue of its shape and/or other visual characteristics, and serves to identify the wearer as a member of the community of those persons amongst whom the sign system functions as a restricted code or shared means of communication. In the absence of an accessory, a member of the community may thus recognise the base element and derive from it two meanings: firstly, that the user is a member of the community; and secondly, that the user does not choose to communicate a message.

The significance of the latter meaning will depend on the range of meanings corresponding to the range of available accessories; thus the meaning of the accessory holder as a signifier is underpinned and enriched by the shared syntax and the totality of available meanings in the sign system of which it forms a part.

For example: in one implementation of the invention, each user is provided with at least one accessory holder and with a set of three alternative accessories, the visible face of each of the three variants depicting respectively a lemon, an apple, and a banana. The meanings of these symbols will be determined by common understanding between the members of the community. A user who displays the accessory depicting a lemon in juxtaposition with his accessory holder might be understood to be desirous of obtaining a lemon; and so forth. The meaning of an accessory holder without an accessory would thus be understood in the context of the shared sign system to mean that the user does not want any fruit.

Alternative implementations employing different indicia, colours, or other visual signifiers and different corresponding meanings will readily be conceived. It will also be understood that different communities should employ visually different accessory holders in order to operate different sign systems in accordance with the invention; similarly, one community may employ more than one accessory holder, each accessory holder representing a variant sign system in which the meanings of the corresponding accessories are correspondingly altered or nuanced. The different accessory holders may mechanically cooperate with the same set of accessories; alternatively, each base element may have different features, for example, a different shape, so that the different accessory holders mechanically cooperate with different sets of accessories.

As already mentioned, the visible portion (display surface) of the accessory holder also serves to identify the accessory with which it is juxtaposed, as a signifier within the sign system. This solves the problem of how to introduce a new signifier and corresponding new meaning in order to accommodate the natural growth in the shared symbolic lexicon of the community. If a member of the community sees an unrecognised accessory, he will identify it as part of a composite signifier by its visual juxtaposition with the recognised placeholder, and may then approach the user (or other members of the community) in order to find out its meaning.

By providing a composite signifier comprising the accessory holder together with the selected accessory, the invention further solves the problem of how to distinguish signs from mere ornaments, even when the meaning of the sign is not known. Returning to the fruity example above, a new signifier might be introduced to the system, depicting an oval shape. In the absence of a shared system of meaning, the oval might be interpreted as mere decoration. However, its juxtaposition with the known accessory holder identifies it to members of the community as a fruity symbol, and it is understood that the user wants a date.

Moreover, since the accessory is identified by the accessory holder as part of a composite signifier, it is possible for the visual content of each accessory to bear only an arbitrary relation to its meaning; for example, each accessory could be a different colour or could depict a different numeral or geometric shape. The meaning of each composite signifier could then be determined only by asking another member of the community, making the invention particularly suitable for use as a restricted code for communication between members of the community, where the code is not intended to be understood by persons outside the community.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Further features and advantages will be evident from the various illustrative embodiments which will now be described, purely by way of example and without limitation to the scope of the claims, and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGS. 1A, 1B and 1C are respectively a front, back and side view of a first accessory holder;

FIG. 2 is a side view of a backplate for use in permanently attaching the first accessory holder to a flexible substrate;

FIG. 3 is a front view of a second accessory holder which is adapted to be worn on a chain as jewellery;

FIGS. 4 A, 4B, and 4C are front views respectively of first, second and third accessories which are interchangeably attachable to either of the first and second accessory holders to form a first sign system;

FIG. 4D is a side view of one of the accessories;

FIG. 5 shows the first accessory holder attached to a garment;

FIG. 6 shows the first accessory holder in use with an accessory;

FIG. 7 shows the second accessory holder in use with an accessory;

FIG. 8 is a front view of a third accessory holder;

FIGS. 9A and 9B are front views respectively of fourth and fifth accessories which are interchangeably attachable to the third accessory holder to form a second sign system; and

FIG. 10 shows the third accessory holder attached to a garment and in use with an accessory.

Corresponding reference numerals indicate corresponding parts in each of the figures.

Referring to FIGS. 1A-7, a first sign system comprises a first accessory holder 1 with a base element, a second, alternative accessory holder 2 with a base element, and a plurality of interchangeable accessories 10, 11, 12, each accessory having a generally flat outer face 10′, 11′, 12′ bearing a different indicium, each indicium having a corresponding meaning which is understood by the community within which the sign system forms a shared means of communication.

Each accessory holder 1, 2 comprises a generally triangular frame 3 surrounding a recess 4, which is adapted to receive a selected one of the accessories 10, 11, 12. Each accessory is provided with three resiliently supported detents 13 which are received in use in corresponding indents 5 in the inner edge or faces of the frame 3. The selected accessory may thus be snap-fitted into either of the accessory holder 1, 2 by pressing it into the open, outwardly facing side 4′ of the recess 4, so that the detents 13 spring out into the indents 5 to releasably retain the accessory in a use position as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7 in which its outer face is visible within the frame. Advantageously, the frame entirely surrounds the outer face of the accessory in the use position as shown, and the depth D of the frame 3 and recess 4 (FIG. 1C) is slightly greater than the thickness T of the accessory (FIG. 4D), so that the accessory does not extend outwardly of the frame in use; this ensures that the accessory is securely retained and cannot accidentally be dislodged by snagging on clothing or the like.

The triangular frame 3 is visually distinctive so that it is recognised by members of the community as a part of the shared sign system and, when the user chooses to insert a selected accessory, as part of the composite signifier thus formed, the outer face of the accessory being visibly juxtaposed with the frame as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7.

The first accessory holder 1 is substantially rigid, being made for example from die cast metal or the like, and is adapted to be permanently attached to a flexible substrate so that it can be worn by the user on a garment. In the example of FIGS. 5 and 6, the substrate 20 comprises for example the fabric sleeve of a shirt, while in alternative implementations, it might be leather, rubber, PVC or any other flexible material. Instead of attaching the accessory holder to a shirt, a pair of trousers or the like, it might of course be attached to an article of footwear, a bag, a belt or any other portable article made from flexible material, so that the base element forms a permanent part of the article.

Conveniently, the base element of the first accessory holder is provided with integral rivets 6 which are inserted through the fabric 20 or other substrate into holes 21 in a backplate 22. The rivets are then closed to unite the frame 3 and the backplate 22 in a permanent assembly, leaving the substrate 20 sandwiched between the two parts.

In the example shown, both the frame 3 of the first accessory holder 1 and the backplate 22 are open in the middle, so that the recess 4 extends entirely through the accessory holder and the backplate, and a portion of the substrate 20 extends across the recess 4 behind the accessory 11 in the use position (FIG. 6) and is visible within the frame when the accessory 11 is removed from the accessory holder 1 (FIG. 5). The accessory is thus easily removed and interchanged by pressing gently with the finger against the rear surface of the fabric 20 within the frame so as to pop the accessory out of the frame. With the accessory removed, the frame remains visible on the outer side of the garment as shown; however, since the fabric 20 extends within the frame, the frame does not detract from the appearance of the garment. The open frame also minimises the weight of the accessory holder, so that the hang of the garment is not impaired.

The second accessory holder 2 is also substantially rigid and has a chain 8 so that it can be worn by the user as jewellery, for example, attached to the neck or wrist, attached to an accessory, to a lace or the tag of a zip fastener, or the like. Unlike the first accessory holder 1 may be provided with an integral backplate 7 which closes the rear side of the recess 4. The backplate 7 may have a protrusion in its centre (not shown) so that the accessory may be removed by pressing it firmly towards the backplate at one corner, causing it to pivot on the protrusion so that its opposite side is urged outwardly from the frame. Alternatively, a tool may be provided to remove the accessory. For expensive accessories, which may comprise jewels or the like, a recess in the centre of the rear face of the accessory may accommodate a central protrusion on the backplate to prevent pivoting. This allows inexpensive accessories to be easily removed, while expensive accessories can only be removed by a tool, in alternative embodiments, a second frame might be provided to receive a second accessory on the other side of the backplate. Alternatively, the second accessory holder might have an open frame without a backplate, and the accessory might have identical or different indicia on both of its opposite faces which are then visible in the use position on the two respective sides of the frame.

Referring to FIGS. 8-10, in an alternative embodiment a second sign system comprises a third, substantially rigid accessory holder 30 and a plurality of interchangeable accessories 41, 42. The third accessory holder may be worn by the user similarly to the second accessory holder. Alternatively, it may be permanently attached to a garment or other portable article or item comprising a flexible substrate in a similar way to the first accessory holder.

In the example shown, the accessory holder 30 comprises a flat plate 31, which is attached to the flexible material 50 of a garment as shown in FIG. 10, and a central display portion 32. The display portion comprises an insert portion 33 which extends outwardly from the plate 31 and material 50 and terminates in a display face 34.

The outer face of each accessory defines a frame 41′, 42′ which surrounds a central recess 43, the recess forming an aperture which extends through the accessory. In use, the selected accessory is pressed onto the base element so that the insert portion 33 is received in the recess 43, releasably retaining the accessory by friction so that the frame 41′ and the display face 34 are visually juxtaposed with the frame entirely surrounding the display face in the use position (FIG. 10).

In yet further alternative embodiments, the frame might be flexible rather than rigid. The frame of the base element may taper inwardly. The frame might be discontinuous so that it only partially surrounds the accessory or the display portion of the base element. Rather than being received in a recess, the accessory may alternatively be attached to the outer surface of the accessory holder so that the frame comprises that portion of the base element which extends outwardly of the accessory to remain visible in the use position. Further to (spring loaded) the detents, the accessory might be retained by magnetic attraction, a flexible flange, or other known means. The frame may be a regular polygon having more than one axis of symmetry, such as a square or an equilateral triangle as shown, in which case the accessory may be inserted in more than one orientation. Alternatively, the frame may have no or only one axis of symmetry, so that the accessory can only be inserted in one orientation. Alternatively, the frame and the accessory can both be circular. Instead of a separate backplate, two identical accessory holders may be arranged to engage one another through the substrate, optionally providing two frames back-to-back on either side of the garment. The accessory holder may be attached to a garment or the like by gluing, sewing, or be integral part of the portable item such as by moulding directly on the substrate (e.g. where the accessory holder is made from mouldable plastics material or the like), or any other convenient means. In the examples described, each accessory holder receives a single accessory; in alternative embodiments, the accessory holder might be adapted to receive more than one accessory in combination.

It will be understood that, in order for the sign system to perform its function as a shared means of communication and preferably as a restricted code within the target community, it is necessary for each variant accessory (which is to say, each visually different type of accessory) to be available to at least several members of the community, who are also aware of its shared meaning. Each one of the plurality of interchangeable accessories which cooperate with the accessory holder therefore comprises one of a plurality of interchangeable accessories having visually identical outer faces (being one of, for example, a plurality of “lemons” or a plurality of “bananas”).

It is envisaged that the sign system may be supplied for example via specialist retail outlets offering jewellery, garments and the like incorporating the accessory holder, and which also provide any required number of each variant accessory. Thus the prospective user of the system might acquire for example three different accessories in respectively “lemon”, “apple” and “banana” variants, or alternatively ten “lemons”, ten “apples” and ten “bananas” for distribution to other community members.

The meaning of the visual content of each accessory might be supplied on a code card or the like available from the retail outlet, or on a poster displayed at the retail outlet, or on the rear side of the accessory, or on a website of the community, or alternatively only through existing cultural associations or by word of mouth between community members. In each case, the plurality of instances of each visually distinct type of accessory ensures that the meaning of that accessory will be progressively disseminated throughout the community in use.

In summary, a preferred sign system comprises a accessory holder and a plurality of interchangeable accessories, each accessory being releasably attachable to the base element so that a visible surface of the accessory is visually juxtaposed with a visible surface of the accessory holder, one part at least partially surrounding the other in the manner of a frame. The frame and accessory together form a composite signifier in which the signified is decoded from indicia on the accessory by members of a community who share the sign system and wear the accessory holder, for example as jewellery or attached to a garment.

Many other adaptations falling within the scope of the claims will be evident from the foregoing description to those skilled in the art. 

1. An accessory holder being adapted to be worn by a user, comprising: a base element having a raised display surface being indicative of a particular community the user belongs to, a back surface and at least one continuous edge portion connecting said raised display surface to said back surface, wherein said at least one edge portion comprises attaching means capable of releasably attaching a juxtaposed form fitting accessory and said attaching means comprise one or more indents.
 2. The accessory holder as claimed in claim 1, wherein the base element with the raised display surface defines a frame, said at least one edge portion being located on an inner side of the frame and the frame being adapted to receive said juxtaposed form fitting accessory inside the frame.
 3. The accessory holder as claimed in claim 1, wherein the base element with the raised display surface defines a core, said at least one edge portion being located on the outer side of the core and the core being adapted to receive said juxtaposed form fitting accessory around said core.
 4. The accessory holder as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one edge portion defines a shape having a rotational symmetry.
 5. The accessory holder as claimed in claim 4, further comprising a predetermined and visibly recognizable orientation.
 6. The accessory holder as claimed in claim 1, wherein the base element is made of one or more substantially rigid materials.
 7. The accessory holder as claimed in claim 1, further comprising attachment means on the accessory holder wherein the base element is adapted for permanent attachment to a flexible substrate such that at least a portion of the substrate extends behind the accessory.
 8. An accessory releasably attachable to the accessory holder of claim 1, the accessory comprising: a display surface indicative of a particular message, an accessory back surface and at least one accessory edge portion comprising accessory attaching means complementary to the attaching means of at least one of the edge portions of the accessory holder, wherein said accessory attaching means comprise one or more resiliently supported detents capable of snap-fittingly engaging to corresponding indents of the accessory holder.
 9. The accessory as claimed in claim 8, wherein the at least one accessory edge portion defines a shape having a rotational symmetry.
 10. The accessory as claimed in claim 9, further comprising on its display surface a visible indicium or signifier having a rotational symmetry different from that of the accessory edge, no rotational symmetry or no geometrical symmetry.
 11. The accessory as claimed in claim 8, wherein the accessory is made of one or more substantially rigid materials.
 12. The accessory holder as claimed in claim 4, wherein the at least one edge portion defines a regular polygon shape.
 13. The accessory holder as claimed in claim 17, further comprising a predetermined and visibly recognizable orientation.
 14. The accessory holder as claimed in claim 6, wherein the base element is made of metal, plastic and/or wood.
 15. The accessory holder as claimed in claim 9, wherein the at least one accessory edge portion defines a regular polygon shape.
 16. The accessory holder as claimed in claim 11, wherein the base element is made of metal, plastic and/or wood.
 17. Method for conveying a message to members of a particular community, comprising: affixing an accessory holder to a body of the user, the accessory holder comprising a base element having a raised display surface indicative of a particular community to which the user belongs; releasably attaching an accessory to said accessory holder, the accessory comprising a display surface indicative of a particular message; and visibly exposing said holder and said accessory to other members of the community.
 18. Method as claimed in claim 17, further comprising: providing said accessory holder comprising a shape having a rotational symmetry, providing said accessory with a shape corresponding to the shape of the accessory holder, the accessory comprising on the display surface a visible indicium having a rotational symmetry different from that of the accessory holder, no rotational symmetry or no geometrical symmetry, modulating said message by releasably attaching said accessory to the holder in one of a plurality of rotational positions, wherein the rotational position of the accessory is indicative of a modulation of the visible indicium.
 19. Method as claimed in claim 18, wherein the accessory holder is provided with a regular polygon shape and wherein said message is modulated by varying the rotational position of the accessory within the accessory holder from an upright position to a non-upright position.
 20. Method as claimed in claim 19, wherein the accessory holder has an equilateral triangular shape and wherein the upright position places the visible indicium proximate to a first corner of the triangle and the non-upright position places the indicium proximate to a second corner of the triangle adjacent to the first corner. 